It takes one to know one.

My faith in Medical School has been restored single handedly by the consultant my current firm. When starting a new placement, one is always worried about the lead consultant; will he grind you into the ground? Will he fire question after question at you and berate you if you get a single one wrong? or conversely will he ever even be around to teach you? Consultants are often the subject of rumours among students about who is strict, who is evil, who is nice and who won't mind you skiving etc etc...

I wasn't sure what to expect of our new consultant, the rumour mill was quiet apart from describing her as cynical. Before then I barely knew what cynical actually meant, that was until I was sat at lunch one day being accused of being a huge cynic. Some people would probably be quite offended to find their character described in this way, personally, I was quite satisfied. I couldn't really give a fuck what most people think of me, but I do see myself as a moaning, cynic-type person, boo hoo for you if you don't like it, I have to amuse myself somehow.

So, having been quickly introduced to her and subsequently following quietly around the ward round I couldn't help myself chuckle at some of the things she came out with. I was pleasantly surprised to see that she remembered our names,which is more than most consultants I've come into contact with. (Quite how these consultants are expected to evaluate us at the end of a firm I don't know. My orthopaedic evaluation apparently came from a consultant I'd never even met!)

"This room [full of children] is boring, so I have to argue with everyone to keep myself amused"

- My particular favourite, whilst during a ward round.

I've decided I like cynical people. There aren't many around, but when I meet them I get on well with them, we share the same ideas. Whether being cynical is a good thing or a bad thing, it certainly keeps me amused and I'm looking forward to spending the next 6 weeks working under the most cynical person I have, as yet, met. If I turn out anything like that in 20 years, I'll be more than happy.

p.s. I thought it was about time I introduced some pictorial fun for my few readers and what better way to start than with a cartoon.

Enjoy.